NCAA Football 13 - General Impressions Thread

[Rudy]

Now, all that being said ... I'm about to spend the next two or three hours messing around inside my OD ... because the OD itself has me hooked, even though the games really don't.

The tough thing is that when I play MLB the Show I play it strictly for the gameplay. I don't need anything else like scouting, recruiting or drafts to suck me in. I've played about 140 games in my SF season and it's all purely gameplay related for the most part. Stat tracking in baseball is also good but the game is that good against the cpu that I can have a lot of fun. I don't care about free agency, drafts or any off the field management stuff in a baseball game.

I've never been a head to head player. Maybe I need to give that a more honest effort because the cpu isn't good enough in EA football. I do recognize that this is the hardest sport to get right but I don't like using that excuse. The truth is the cpu AI has not improved in an EA football game in 10 years. They got really dumb this generation (horrible cpu QB AI) and have spent the last 7 years just trying to get back to the level of the PS2 intelligence. The reason I love playing the cpu is that I do love the franchise and dynasty options. Building programs is a big hook and sometimes a necessary one to keep us sucked in. I can play anytime I want with any difficulty or slider setting I like. About every two years I try to play a game online and the random guy I play against is a loser. Just reminds me to stick to offline.

[souljahbill]

Gah!!!!

Just lost a game because of the stupid "it's raining so receivers slip when they cut" animations. I threw 2 picks because the receiver slipped and the defense caught the pass. If EA is determined to keep this in the game, 1) turn down the amount of rain games in dynasty please and 2) make the defense slip also. I've only seen receivers slip. Never defenders.

[jaymo76]

Gah!!!!

Just lost a game because of the stupid "it's raining so receivers slip when they cut" animations. I threw 2 picks because the receiver slipped and the defense caught the pass. If EA is determined to keep this in the game, 1) turn down the amount of rain games in dynasty please and 2) make the defense slip also. I've only seen receivers slip. Never defenders.

I just don't gey why DB's have perfect footplanting while WR's don't. Oh well, I guess it fits perfect with not hearing audiles at home.

[JeffHCross]

Wasn't that fun back in the day to do that kind of stuff. I still have my TECMO SUPERBOWL NOTES somewhere in the garage. Back them we didn't have the immersion so we made it ourselves. Good times...

Absolutely. On NCAA 2004, when I got upset with playing as Ohio State, I ended up doing a Create-A-School with Alabama, as the 1992 team that was in the game as a Historic Roster. Ended up breaking Oklahoma's winning streak, winning 3 consecutive titles, and then somehow losing two straight the next season. It was nuts!

The tough thing is that when I play MLB the Show I play it strictly for the gameplay. I don't need anything else like scouting, recruiting or drafts to suck me in. I've played about 140 games in my SF season and it's all purely gameplay related for the most part.

To each his own. I can't play that many games in an MLB game (or NHL or NBA) because I want the turnover of the offseason and major trades and all the superfluous stuff. I'm just wired like that. There isn't any game that I play for "just gameplay" anymore (except maybe Pac-Man).

[baseballplyrmvp]

the more i play this game against the cpu, the more pissed off i get about the stupid no huddle delay and the forced cutscene shit. i want last year's pace to the game to return, where i could throw 50 passes in a 7 minute game as an OC. it may not have been very accurate regarding time, but the entertainment value was a lot higher for me than what '13 currently provides.

[jaymo76]

Since the patch I have had ZERO success running the HB screen. Unless the cpu full on blitzes everytime I run a HB screen the cpu drops into position and stuff me in the backfield.

[AustinWolv]

Since the patch I have had ZERO success running the HB screen. Unless the cpu full on blitzes everytime I run a HB screen the cpu drops into position and stuff me in the backfield.

I have had MUCH less success running it, but did take one for a 70y TD the other night.
Otherwise, the CPU has assigned man coverage MUCH more often to the HB.

[Rudy]

This is written about the run blocking engine on Madden but equally applies to NCAA. Fantastic read that I posted in the Madden thread but should be read by everyone imo. Written by a former Backbreaker dev.

http://www.operationsports.com/featu...-the-run-game/

[jaymo76]

I just watched the podcast and I agree with a lot of what was said. For me it's not that NCAA isn't really good, it's just that it isn't as good as it used to be. I didn't realise this until last week but frankly, I think I am bored of playing NCAA. Don't get me wrong, I love the game updates and the ticker but outside of that and the removal of leaping LB's I have played the same game since my first next gen title, NCAA 08. Not doing anything with CC this year was a huge let down. Still not having real FCS teams is a huge let down, no Heisman ceremony in the year of the heisman challenge is a huge let down, no Gameday type weekly wrap-up show is a huge let down. This is my fave series of all time but it needs to do something to bring my excitement level back to where it used to be ala 06 (and please don't say CCM... too much has been removed).

[baseballplyrmvp]

I just watched the podcast and I agree with a lot of what was said. For me it's not that NCAA isn't really good, it's just that it isn't as good as it used to be. I didn't realise this until last week but frankly, I think I am bored of playing NCAA. Don't get me wrong, I love the game updates and the ticker but outside of that and the removal of leaping LB's I have played the same game since my first next gen title, NCAA 08. Not doing anything with CC this year was a huge let down. Still not having real FCS teams is a huge let down, no Heisman ceremony in the year of the heisman challenge is a huge let down, no Gameday type weekly wrap-up show is a huge let down. This is my fave series of all time but it needs to do something to bring my excitement level back to where it used to be ala 06 (and please don't say CCM... too much has been removed).

i agree, but different things are a let down to me. it just seems that they focus on some of the wrong things year after year. i wish that the community had a larger say in what is done every year; definitely not a final end-all decision, but much like that survey that was released a couple of years ago, it'd be nice if we could steer the decision making process a little more.

[JeffHCross]

This is written about the run blocking engine on Madden but equally applies to NCAA. Fantastic read that I posted in the Madden thread but should be read by everyone imo. Written by a former Backbreaker dev.

Completely agree with everything he wrote. Much of his statements, at least about the technology of the branching animations and the like, could equally apply to the passing game.

[JeffHCross]

(knock on wood)

I still have yet to experience a freeze within the game, but I have now had at least four freezes on the initial "Press Start" menu, as it is transitioning to "Please Wait". And it's always at the exact same point too, just as the camera is starting to climb vertically. It's a full system freeze too -- have to shut off the PS3 via the power button.

Had this twice again this morning. Seems to happen more often when I'm in a rush

I now tense up every time I see "Tradition" start to turn, because that's where it freezes

[baseballplyrmvp]

is anyone noticing any in-season progression occuring?

[JeffHCross]

It's subtle, but I've noticed some, MVP. I don't recall, off-hand, if it still shows (+2) next to ratings that have progressed -- in fact, I don't think it does -- but I noticed as we got to the end of Year 1 in Powerhouse that some of my players had higher OVRs than we had started the season with.

[baseballplyrmvp]

It's subtle, but I've noticed some, MVP. I don't recall, off-hand, if it still shows (+2) next to ratings that have progressed -- in fact, I don't think it does -- but I noticed as we got to the end of Year 1 in Powerhouse that some of my players had higher OVRs than we had started the season with.

thats the only reason that i asked, because i just looked at my arizona state team for the fun of it, and didnt notice a single rating showed the "+1", indicating that something had improved. if its still there, they probably removed the visual....which i'm not really in favor of.

[JeffHCross]

I actually like that the visual is gone ... it was too cluttered with the visual, IMO. While I'd like it at year's end or something, somewhere where I know "Oh, he progressed X", I don't think I need it week to week.

[PeteyKirch]

Maybe it's just me, but with the NCAA series it seems like the little fixes they can easily do, but don't would add so much more immersion to the experience.

They've had the ESPN license for how long, and it took to this installment for us to get a real ESPN ticker on the bottom during dynasty?

Why can't they just take the ESPN stat templates and use them for stat updates and what not?

Someone on OS posted a breakdown of stat overlays that pop up within 3 minutes of a College Football game and it was probably something like you'd see in an entire seasons worth of play in NCAA13.

What burned me was watching the Making of NCAA13 to see them spend time on some poor designer gloating about the one overlay BROUGHT TO YOU BY DOVE SOAP FOR MEN...it really makes me question how many of these people truly watching College ball, versus EA shilling itself for sponsors like Dove, Snickers, Coke-Zero, etc.

Ben said they overhauled stadium noises, but it's all or nothing at times. It can go from an off the wall roar, to a pin drop in seconds. I hate how there is absolutely no noise when my offense is on the field at home. There should be some noise from the opposing fans in attendance.

The animations are another killer at times. The comical Mario running in place, the lack of vital running animations, the fact every player runs the same despite ratings, weight, and height. That a 6'4 player can cover the same amount of ground as a 5'7 player in the same time.

Why is it that EA has yet to find a way to incorporate in game saves? NBA2k, MLB2k, and MLB the Show have all had this feature for the last few installments.

[JeffHCross]

Maybe it's just me, but with the NCAA series it seems like the little fixes they can easily do, but don't would add so much more immersion to the experience.

Completely agree. The little things go a long way.

They've had the ESPN license for how long, and it took to this installment for us to get a real ESPN ticker on the bottom during dynasty?

Wouldn't have done much good. In previous versions, the CPU games weren't simulated ahead of time. There was nothing to "tick".

Why can't they just take the ESPN stat templates and use them for stat updates and what not?

What do you mean ... stat templates? The graphics, or something more?

[PeteyKirch]

Completely agree. The little things go a long way.
Wouldn't have done much good. In previous versions, the CPU games weren't simulated ahead of time. There was nothing to "tick".
What do you mean ... stat templates? The graphics, or something more?

Something like that. I'm a stat junkie. I love to run a play, and see a little blurb about my RBs carries/yards/ypc etc, especially as the game goes on.

I want dynamic stat overlays. Especially for Dynasty play. I want to see my Season 3rd Down %, I want to see Turnovers to Date, etc.

The other things, find a fix for the sidelines. Especially if you're going to show those sideline cutscenes with 10 real players, and then 3 cardboard cut outs mixed in.

How many years have the roster editors been clamoring for duplicate numbers? EA says they can do that for the disc, but there is no way for the user? How hard would it be to code something that allows to have two duplicates, one for O, one for D. If you tried to move one of those players to the different side of the ball, it would automatically go to the next available jersey number?

They still haven't figured out how to do uniform degradation correctly, that's a shame. The team in white is spotless, and the team in dark uniforms looks like they tried to wrestle a pig in mud.

They need more crowd specific cheers, or hell do the cheer creator that was in College Hoops.

[JeffHCross]

Something like that. I'm a stat junkie. I love to run a play, and see a little blurb about my RBs carries/yards/ypc etc, especially as the game goes on.

I want dynamic stat overlays. Especially for Dynasty play. I want to see my Season 3rd Down %, I want to see Turnovers to Date, etc.

They have those. They just don't show enough. So, I'm not sure what you mean by "why can't they". Some of the statistics you cite may not be available within a game (thanks to system memory limits), but they do use ESPN-style stat overlays when, for example, records are broken.